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+ servings

Instant Pot Carnitas

Take the stress out of meal prep with a fast and flavor-packed recipe for Instant Pot Carnitas topped with cherry tomato pico de gallo.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients  

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and quartered
  • 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon coriander
  • 2 cups chicken stock

Cherry Tomato Pico de Gallo Salsa

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 small white onion, small diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 jalapeños or serrano chilies, deseeded and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Set the Instant Pot to the “Sauté (More)” setting. Once it is hot, add the vegetable oil.
  • Season the pork with 2 tablespoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Brown the pork shoulder in the Instant Pot, searing it on all sides. (If needed, do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.)
  • Add all of the browned pork shoulder, plus any juices, to the Instant Pot. 
  • Add the chopped onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, cumin, coriander and chicken stock to the Instant Pot.
  • Set it on the “Pressure Cook” setting for 90 minutes and close the lid.
  • Once the pork is done cooking, transfer it to a cutting board, and using two forks, shred it into pieces and serve it with Cherry Tomato Pico de Gallo Salsa. 

Make the Cherry Tomato Pico de Gallo Salsa:

  • In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Taste and season with salt and pepper.  

Notes

  • Once the pork’s finished cooking, you’ll want to let the Instant Pot’s pressure naturally release for a bit (about 15 minutes) before manually releasing the rest of the pressure. A lot of Instant Pots now have an easy-to-use pressure release switch, but if yours doesn’t, use a spoon or spatula to poke the release valve, which will keep your hands away from the steam.
  • For a hands-free way to shred the cooked pork, place the pieces of pork into a stand mixer’s bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on and the stand mixer will do the shredding for you.
  • While I love pico de gallo with these tacos, you can use whatever toppings you like. Whether it's creamy guacamole, fresh avocado slices, diced white onion, cilantro, jalapeños, or even crumbled feta or queso fresco, the choice is yours. Serve these tacos with an array of toppings, tortilla chips, and margaritas, and you've got a dinner that's sure to please a crowd.
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